Happiness index shows we prefer to live on the edge

Rural areas dominate the top slots in the ONS list of places with the highest life satisfactionGetty Images

People living in the far-flung reaches of the UK are among the happiest, with residents of towns such as Ballymena, Stornoway, Matlock and North Hykeham, Lincolnshire, reporting the highest levels of life satisfaction.

Corby, Ormskirk, Burnley and Preston, however, have among the lowest rates of life satisfaction, according to the Office for National Statistics’ wellbeing project.

Greenwich, in southeast London makes a surprise entry into the bottom ten, with neighbouring Lewisham also faring badly. More surprisingly perhaps Cambridge had a low score and Christchurch, the pretty market town in Dorset popular with retired people.

Overall, residents of urban areas reported lower levels of life satisfaction. Liverpool and Manchester were both notably unhappy places.

Rural areas dominate the top slots with the commuter town of Sevenoaks…